


The More I See You

by wanderlustlights



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M, Makeover, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-21
Updated: 2014-03-27
Packaged: 2017-11-09 11:38:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 14,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/455016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderlustlights/pseuds/wanderlustlights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurt gives Dave a makeover and basically makes him his perfect man in the process.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Senior year was turning out to be surprisingly… interesting. After the whole drunken incident at the gay bar the previous month, Kurt had urged Dave to finally come out not only to his parents but to the school as well. Kurt figured that if Dave could be himself at a bar and could see that not all homosexual men were just one type (fabulous gay, like Kurt Hummel of course) then he could have the balls to come out to everyone else, too, and still be his super badass self. After coming out, everything else would be easy for him.

All in all, it wasn't that bad at school. Azimio was still Dave's best friend, saying he didn't really "give a shit" if Dave was gay, just that he didn't "want the dude to make a move on him, too." While people were pretty weary about him being gay, most people weren't about to mess with him, knowing Dave could tackle them in a split second if they did; the hockey douches and football jocks combined knew that for a fact that he'd tear them a new one if they did anything to him.

When Kurt heard later that day about what had happened – and _good lord_ did news spread like wildfire in that school – with Dave, Kurt had taken it upon himself to seek out the jock and congratulate him on such an accomplishment, hug and all. Dave stiffened as Kurt held him and Kurt, sensing just how awkward the taller boy was feeling in his embrace, released him after a moment, still smiling and praising him. Dave muttered a thank you, staring at his feet as he did so. Kurt merely took Dave's chin in his fingers briefly to raise the other boy's eyes back up to Kurt's own. "Hey. That's amazing, Dave. Really. You should be proud of yourself."

Dave fixed him with a gaze, the smallest of smiles gracing his face. "Thanks."

Kurt studied him for a moment, skepticism all over his face. "Okay, this may come off as a bit… crazy to you, but might I propose a… makeover of sorts?"

"…What."

"No, no, nothing too drastic, just a bit of a metamorphosis to enhance your natural features."

"You're making it sound pretty girly, dude."

Kurt sighed. "No, I just… I just thought you might want to make the most out of our senior year, make it the best that you possibly can."

"What, uh… what were you thinking, exactly?"

Kurt only grinned back at him and Dave's eyes grew even wider as his face fell.

_tbc._


	2. Chapter 2

"So I'm thinking some more fitted clothes that don't make you look as though you're drowning in them – and this is the jeans in particular here, David. We have to measure you to figure out the exact specifications of what jean size you are… Ah! Here we are." Kurt pulled out a measuring tape from a desk drawer and crouched down onto one knee to wrap the tape around the back of Dave's leg (good lord, the boy's legs looked like tree trunks in these jeans) and bring it back around to the front. "My god. It's like Betty White trying to find Sandra Bullock's boobs in 'The Proposal' here."

Dave scowled down at him but stayed silent even though his face was turning a deep shade of red not only from the touch of Kurt's nimble fingers on his thigh but the sight of him kneeling on the ground in front of him, too… _Think of Grandma, oh god, think of Grandma, SHIT._

"David? Are you alright? You look all flushed."

"Fine, Hummel," Dave answered gruffly, "just finish up already."

Kurt gave him a strange look but continued the task at hand anyway. "Okay…" He finished with the measurements, gradually moving onto Dave's waist and chest, finishing with his deliciously broad shoulders. Kurt cleared his throat when he was finally done with all of the measurements. "Okay then," he squeaked then shut his eyes tight, mentally shooting himself for his voice – really, did it _have_ to sound like a five year-old girl's voice at the worst possible moment? The gods of the universe really must have some sort of personal vendetta against him. "I think we're done here. We may have to completely revamp your entire wardrobe. Ooh, it'll be just like an episode of What Not to Wear!"

Well _that_ sure earned him an "are you fucking crazy, dude?" look from the other boy. "…Right."

Kurt led him out of his room and down to the front door. "So, we… would you be available tomorrow then? To do some shopping, I mean? It's a Saturday so we'll have more than enough time."

Dave scratched the back of his neck and shrugged. "I got morning football practice but I dunno, I guess I'm free after that. It's usually done around eleven or so."

"Wonderful," said Kurt, positively beaming, as Dave opened the door. "So shall we just meet here?" Dave nodded but didn't say anything, shuffling on his feet. "Great," replied Kurt, still smiling, as Dave all but ran out the front door.

_tbc._


	3. Chapter 3

Dave called at eleven thirty the next day to say he was finally done with practice and at home, freshly showered and ready to go.

"Did you, uh, wanna just meet at the mall or whatever, or did you-"

"I could pick you up instead, if that works better? There's really no sense in driving separately. Text me your address and I can put into the GPS on my phone and be there soon."

"Uh okay, I… I guess, sure," replied Dave tentatively – Kurt could tell he was definitely weirded out by the prospect of not only driving with him but getting a whole makeover in the first place, especially when it was Kurt.

They hung up after a few more words and Kurt heard his phone buzz on the entryway table a moment later where he'd left it to go into the kitchen for a bottle of water, and checked it, seeing a text message with Dave's home address. It felt strange, going someplace with his former tormentor, and actually doing favors for him, like giving him a complete, head to toe makeover. But they'd put the past behind them, after all, so Kurt brushed it off. Dave was out and completely reforming himself, and he and Kurt were actually becoming friends, by some miracle, so a makeover was really the right thing to do. A new Dave, a new look for him as well.

Kurt showed up at Dave's house barely ten minutes later, and pulled into the driveway, just staring up at the house for a moment after he parked. It was _huge_. A large, white house with pillars on either side of the front door to support the overlying second story of the building. There were i _pillars/i_. Just… Kurt couldn't even believe it. What did Dave's parents do, anyway? They had to have some amazing careers to be able to afford a house like that, even in Ohio.

Kurt exited his Navigator and walked up to the house, ringing the doorbell, and looked around the house some more as he waited. The door opened and Kurt turned, eyebrows furrowing as he caught sight of Dave's outfit – _iif it could even be called that…/i_

"What the hell are you wearing?" asked Kurt, appalled. Dave really did not know how to dress himself. His jeans always seemed to be two sizes too large and the shirts went down six inches from his waist and were definitely not the correct cut for him.

"I dunno, clothes?"

"You… no. Okay we're leaving, now. Because despite the fact that you think you don't need it, you really do need all the help you can get, David. But I think we're going to stop at the salon first. You need a different hairstyle, the one you have really isn't doing much for you."

"Sure, whatever, but can we get lunch first, though? I'm starving."

Kurt shook his head, rolling his eyes. "Fine, I suppose so. It is almost noon anyway, but we'll have to make it quick, I want to make sure we get in all the time we can at the mall before it closes."

"Were you planning on spending eight hours at the mall or something? Because I really think we can spare an hour or so by eating something first."

"Well I mean-"

"Get in the car and drive, dude, we're going to a real restaurant, I'm paying."

"Yo-you really don't have to, I have money-"

Dave only cut him off with a look, walking to Kurt's car and opening the passenger's side door. "Get in, we're leaving."

Dumbfounded, Kurt climbed into the driver's seat, putting the key into the ignition without starting it just yet, and stared at the other boy in confusion. Dave sighed and leaned over, turning the key and starting the engine, giving Kurt a look of annoyance. He was hungry, did Kurt not understand that he hadn't eaten since six that morning? Dude was being weird today…

Kurt gazed at Dave a moment more before finally pulling out of the driveway, making an effort to concentrate on the road.

Was Dave… taking him on a date?

That was definitely what it felt like...

Well. This was certainly turning out to be an interesting day.

_tbc._


	4. Chapter 4

They ended up eating at Applebees a few miles from Dave's house where it was on the way to the mall, so Dave thought it would be a good place to eat at. Not only that, but he said their food was "awesome" and Kurt couldn't disagree. Despite the fact that he tried to eat healthy for the most part, and the fact that Breadstix just so happened to be Lima's most popular restaurant in town, Kurt loved Applebees' pasta in particular and a splurge once in a while, aside from his occasional snacking at night, wasn't really so bad in the long run. All it really meant was that he would have to make sure to continue with his workout routine.

They were seated at a corner booth, where the hostess had sat them next to the display of all of the Wizard of Oz memorabilia. Dave was pooring over the menu as Kurt smiled fondly at the vintage poster, noticing how Dorothy gazed off longingly into the distance. Dave glanced up at the other boy across the table, seeing the childlike wonder in his expression while he looked at the display. Somehow Kurt was beautiful in everything he did, in his own way, and fuck it all, Dave really did love him. Hell, it was pretty much the whole reason he'd come out in the first place. To show Kurt how far he was willing to go for him, that he would bend over backwards for him, and if it meant he had to take a slushie to the face just for being who he really was, then so be it. He'd do it, so long as he could have Kurt, even if it meant being only his friend. He just couldn't believe Kurt was actually doing something like this for him, and for no real reason, either. He just had to keep reminding himself, though - this was _not_ a date. It was _not_.

"Hello, and how are you today?"

Kurt turned, smiling. "Great, thanks."

The waitress grinned, pad of paper and pen in hand. "Can I get you boys something to drink?"

"Yes, raspberry iced tea, please."

"Okay, and for you?" she asked, turning to Dave.

"Uh, Pepsi, thanks."

"Okay, I'll give you a few minutes to look over the menu and be back," said the girl, smiling at the both of them, and walking to the back.

Kurt smiled back at Dave, watching as he gave him a small, tentative smile back, then let out a short, shaky breath from nerves. "Are you okay?"

"Dude, I'm fine, really."

"If you're sure..."

They spent the rest of the lunch eating and making small talk, and when Kurt went to reach for the reach, Dave's hand stopped him, hand covering Kurt's for a brief moment before sliding it out from under Kurt's hand and looking at the total.

Kurt watched in confusion and amazement - who knew that under all of that pent-up anger from before that there lay in Dave such a gentleman - as he watched Dave pull out his debit card and slip it into the holder with the check. Kurt felt his heart flutter slightly before realizing what he was doing and pushed down the feeling - Dave had never said this was a date so really Kurt was only getting his hopes up, thinking that he was finally on a date with someone. Wishful thinking was all it was, really, in the end.

Which was really the worst part, because why did Kurt want this to be a date anyway? It was ridiculous, the thought of him and Dave together. Then again... no. He wasn't about to put himself on the line like this and allow himself to get hurt, especially not by Dave.

"You ready to go?"

Kurt started, and realized he'd been staring at the other boy in his reverie, and nodded. "Yeah, let's go. Time for the new you," he said with fake enthusiasm, though he couldn't exactly deny the fact that he was excited to see how Dave would look when he was actually dressed in his correct sizes.

Dave grinned, and stood from the booth, and they walked through the doors, but not before hearing their waitress as she walked past.

"Have a good day, boys," she called after them as they walked through the door, giving them a knowing smile.

Fuck, what did she think they were doing, out for some afternoon delight?

Dave was lucky the door didn't smack him as he stated back at her like a deer caught in the headlights.

_tbc._


	5. Chapter 5

After all of the awkwardness in the past hour and a half they'd been out together, getting to the hairdressers was a complete relief to all of the tension. Le Balise was a salon and day spa in town that Kurt had found a few years ago and trusted entirely. And under no circumstances was he about to let Dave step foot inside of a Supercuts ever again, especially not when he could get a much better style from a fantastic salon, and so what if it was a few dollars more, it was worth it in the long run.

Kurt had, of course, called the salon the day before just as soon as the plan was in place, to make an appointment for Dave. He was going to have a sense of style in that hair if it killed Kurt.

Smile in place, Kurt sauntered up to the counter as they arrived, watching as the girl behind there glanced up and smiled back at him. "Kurt! What's it been, two weeks since we've seen you here? Pretty sure your hair couldn't have grown _that_ fast already."

Kurt let out a laugh, slipping his arm into the crook of Dave's elbow easily. "No, no, I'm good, Sarah. I made an appointment for my friend here, under 'Dave Karofsky.' Hair trim and style."

Sarah checked the appointments book, finger finding its way down the page, seeking out the name. "Ah! Yes, right here." She gave him a glare. "You two are late, you know."

"That would be because this guy here insisted on taking me out to lunch first. Apparently he is unable to go on a shopping trip on an empty stomach. Ridiculous, really," he teased.

Sarah raised an eyebrow at him. "Yes, I'm sure," she replied and smirked. "Nevertheless, David, you can take a seat while I go let them know you're here."

Dave sat and a few minutes later was finally brought back, Kurt following to let them know the look he was going for. "So I'm thinking a trim, shorter on the sides – much shorter, in fact, nice and minimalistic – just a few snips on the top to get rid of any split ends he may have-"

"It's not like I blow dry my hair or anything, dude!" Dave interrupted, earning him an imploring look.

"Even still, David, you may use hair gel or anything else, and there is always the possibility of damage being done to your hair." He turned back to the hairdresser. "Now I think that should be it, and then maybe just a bit of mousse to help thicken it up and bring it into some sort of messy, just-rolled-out-of-bed-but-still-stylized look? I think that should be it, Zoe, thank you."

With that, Kurt walked back into the entryway to sit, grabbing a magazine – the same issue of _Vogue_ he had at home but had to finish looking though – and started where he had left off.

"So," started Sarah, and Kurt glanced up over the magazine to see her leaning on the countertop, staring at him. "When did you two start dating?" she asked, grinning."

Kurt turned back to the page he was poring over. "We're not dating, Sarah."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Of course not. Because 'friends' just go to the salon together all the time. No, you're right, that's completely normal."

"Leave it alone, Sarah."

"I'm just saying, honey, that it's not every day I see two gay _friends_ in here and then admit to spending the rest of the day together _shopping_ , of all things."

"How did you know he was-" started Kurt, staring at her.

"Oh please. It was so obvious, the way he was blushing and trying not to stare at your ass as he followed you in here and how red he was when you were holding onto his arm."

"He was-"

"Staring at your ass as you walked in here? Oh yes. If he didn't already know he was gay, he sure would after seeing you in those jeans," he replied with a leer.

Kurt flushed.

"Why are you trying so hard, anyway?"

"I'm not," said Kurt in confusion.

"You're kidding, right? No one wears close like that on a Saturday afternoon spent in a salon and shopping unless they're into whoever it is that they're with."

"You've seen how I dress, Sarah. It really isn't that much different."

"Kurt. Honey. Those jeans are hugging your legs and ass so much that I'm surprised they're not cutting off circulation to your entire body. Especially those private bits. And that shirt?" Kurt glanced down at the red, off-the-shoulder sweater he was wearing, then back up at her in question. "I have never seen you show that much skin. I mean, just getting you to roll up your sleeves or wear a T-shirt is a feat in itself. And I mean this in the best possible way, but… Kurt, you kind of look like a slut."

Kurt gaped at her, appalled by her utter tactlessness. "I-I beg your pardon?"

Sarah shrugged, nonchalant. "You look like a slut. It's no big deal, really, pretty normal actually. And you know what us girls – and some of you boys – do when we want to get a boy's attention? Dress it up so much that we're practically naked, so they can see just how easily it would be to get us out of our clothes at a moment's notice. And you, sweetie? You're the _epitome_ of a slut right now. You like him. Embrace it."

Kurt glared at her to show his complete annoyance, and picked up the magazine again. "You're being crass and disgusting and I'm ignoring you now."

"Fine, fine, you do that, but it won't change the fact that you want in that boy's pants in there. A _lot_. And even if he can't see it, and you can't see it, well guess what? I sure can."

"Ignoring you."

Sarah was filing her nails and Kurt was throwing himself even further into _Vogue_ when Dave was finally through.

Zoe cleared her throat, and Kurt looked up, staring, feeling his heart pound in his chest. "U-uhm. That… that looks good."

"Yeah it does," affirmed Sarah from behind the counter.

"Y-you paid for lunch, so I'll get this."

"You sure, dude? It's no probl-"

"No, no, don't worry about it," Kurt replied, already standing and going for his wallet, walking toward the desk and passing Dave on his way. "Here, go out and start the car while I pay."

Zoe shared a look with Sarah, who smirked, turning back to Kurt. "He paid for your lunch?"

"Shut up," mumbled Kurt quickly, "and give me that mousse Zoe used, too." He swiped his card through the machine, tapping his foot as the transaction went through.

"Yeah," scoffed Sarah as Kurt signed the receipt, "you don't like him. Right."

"I said shut up, Sarah," groaned Kurt as he practically sprinted out of the door, rolling his eyes at them as he finally got into the car.

Back inside, Sarah grinned as Zoe swept the hair from the floor around her station. "They'll be together within a month, mark my words."

"Make it three weeks," Zoe called back to her.

"I'll take that bet!"

_tbc._


	6. Chapter 6

Kurt searched through the racks, looking for the correct size, and pushed yet another shirt into Dave's arms.

He already had fifteen shirts which he was struggling not to drop.

Dave stared, amazed at Kurt's ability to shop. He'd never seen a guy shop like this before. It was… incredible, really.

They'd been in Herberger's at the mall for over an hour already, just standing in the same department, and Kurt and managed to completely weigh down Dave with just shirts alone. So far there were only long sleeved dress shirts in a myriad of colors that he was holding. It had been an hour spent looking only at dress shirts so far, Kurt trying to find the correct thread and fabric combination that he would deem worthy of Dave wearing.

Kurt went off on a slight tangent when Dave tried to pick up a shirt to place in his arms among all the others, to which Kurt only argued with him about what a complete travesty that shirt was until finally Dave gave up and shoved it back onto the racks in defeat.

When they'd turned to peruse another rack, the cashier at the nearest register was staring at them in shock. Apparently it wasn't every day that she saw two boys arguing about the thread count of a shirt.

Dave didn't really blame her for staring, especially since the entire thing was just a little bit more than ridiculous.

Finally they made it to the more casual dress shirts and Dave had another twelve of those shoved into his arms – plaid, striped (vertically only, upon Kurt's insistence), and a few solid colors.

"Okay, I…" Kurt glanced at Dave's arm closest to him and stared for a moment at the way it was flexed to hold all of the clothes. "I uhm."

" _You uhm_ what?"

Kurt tore his eyes away quickly and averted them to Dave's face instead – god he really had done a wonderful job picking out that haircut for him… "I think it's time for the dressing room."

Dave nodded and let Kurt lead him to the room, where they singled out the more flattering cuts and colors of the shirts, narrowing the count down to a mere seven – still a huge amount if you asked Dave, but Kurt only said that it was impossible to have too many clothes – before moving onto polos and T-shirts.

Which was where things really seemed to take a turn.

Dave was trying on the polos – all a size smaller than he was really used to, and Tommy Hilfiger, since apparently he was one of the better mens designers – when Kurt made him come out, not trusting Dave's opinion on each of them, considering what he had worn in the past.

Kurt stared as Dave walked out slowly, blinking rapidly as he took in the sight. Dave still needed some new jeans, that was next on the list, but even the new, better fitting tops were an incredible improvement.

The polos were the absolute _best_ of them all, as far as Kurt was concerned.

They hugged Dave in all the right places, showing off his broad chest and they were finally the correct length on him for once as opposed to his previous shirts in that style and… oh god his arms. Kurt could hardly take his eyes off of them and had to refrain from fanning himself at the way his biceps were on display under the short sleeves, nice and tight. Kurt felt himself grow hot at the sight and when he finally looked back up, Dave was looking at him expectantly, nervously. "O-oh," he breathed, unable to really get out anything else besides that.

"It looks terrible, doesn't it," Dave groaned miserably, turning to run back into the dressing room but Kurt caught his arm before he could escape.

"No! No no, you don't look… you don't look terrible. Trust me." Kurt pulled the other boy back out into the small hallway outside of the rooms, dragging him to stand in front of a mirror. "Come here, you big lug." Kurt stood with him there, hand grasping Dave's forearm as he'd done earlier, gazing into the mirror. He viewed their reflection for a moment, just taking in the way they looked together. Dave was a few inches taller than him still, and much broader, Kurt's complete physical opposite, really, but somehow they just… seemed to fit together in a way.

Heh. Well that was interesting…

Kurt felt Dave pull away from him and walk back into the dressing room in embarrassment, and Kurt blinked at the closed door. Biting his lip in confusion, Kurt sank into the chair, staring at the floor before holding his head and letting out a groan.

He wasn't supposed to be feeling like this, especially not about Dave, of all people. Dave was his friend and friends didn't crush on each other like this and Kurt was really only meant to be doing him a favor, of sorts, by giving him this makeover. And he'd certainly never developed feelings for someone he'd given a makeover to before, so why should Dave be any different?

Kurt sighed, knowing he'd just have to face the facts.

He was fucked.

Completely, utterly, royally _fucked_.

_tbc._


	7. Chapter 7

Kurt pulled into the driveway and up to the house, putting the car into park, and looked over at Dave. He was wringing his hands in his lap, leg bouncing with nerves as he averted Kurt's eyes.

"So you, uhm… did you wanna come up?"

"Oh. Well I… I suppose so. You probably need some help with all these bags anyway," replied Kurt, looking to the back seat where there were shopping bags piled on top of one another.

"Dude half of them are yours."

"It's still a lot, David. I doubt even you could hold that many bags in your arms. You were struggling with both all of those shirts and jeans before, too, so don't even try to convince me otherwise."

Kurt opened the door and was climbing out before Dave could even say anything else, moving to the backseat to retrieve Dave's new clothes, two bags in each hand. Dave sidled up behind him, reaching an arm around to grab the rest of them. Kurt stiffened, the feeling of Dave's chest colliding with his back nearly sending him into a frenzy. Dave finally tugged the bags to himself and effectively shook Kurt from his reverie.

Finally they made it into the house and into Dave's room. It wasn't exactly what Kurt had been expecting, really. It was… bi, that was for sure, but then again most everything about that house was on the larger side of the scale. Moreover, Dave's room was… homey. All American.

Kurt would have thought there'd be sports posters on the walls; football, hockey maybe, like any other jock out there whose room he'd seen. But of all things that could have been displayed in that room, there were planes hanging from the ceiling and an American flag on the wall above his bed.

Surprising, really, but Kurt liked it. It was unexpected and showed just how much he really didn't know about the other boy. He'd probably never stop discovering new aspects of David Karofsky's personality.

When Kurt glanced around the room again, his eyes caught sight of something else on the other side of the room. He set the bags down on the bed, walking over to it and picking it up curiously.

"Please tell me why, exactly, you have a stuffed shark sitting on a stool?"

Dave walked over to him, dropping the bags on the floor in the process, and leaned against the wall where Kurt was standing. "That's Sheldon. My dad gave him to me when I had the chicken pox when I was six."

Kurt flipped the shark over, surveying it as a small smile came over him, trying not to laugh. "So you decided to place him-"

"Sheldon," Dave corrected, and Kurt nodded.

" _Sheldon_ … on a stool."

"Well yeah. He's a badass, he's gotta be displayed for everyone to see."

"Heh. David Karofsky, stuffed animal fanatic. Who knew."

"Shark fanatic, dude. Way different."

"Right."

" _David_?"

"Is that your dad?"

"Uh, yeah. Didn't expect him home yet…" Dave walked back to the closed door, opening it to reveal Paul standing there, hand in a fist, about to knock on the door, had Dave not opened the door.

"There you are, David, good. Steak sound good for dinner tonight?"

"Yeah, that's good," replied Dave, glancing back quick at Kurt, who placed Sheldon back on the stool.

"Kurt, right?"

"Yes, I was just… helping out David today."

"Helping?" questioned Paul, turning back to Dave.

"He took me shopping and some other crap."

"Ahh, so that's what happened to your hair, then, I take it?"

"Yes, that would be my doing," Kurt chimed in, grinning, and Paul let out a laugh.

"I assumed as much," replied Paul.

"Right, well, I… I suppose I should be going, then," said Kurt hesitantly, and Dave turned back to him.

"You sure? You don't have to, you know."

"You're more than welcome to stay for dinner, Kurt," said Paul, and Kurt glanced again at Dave, trying to gauge his reaction.

"Well, I… I mean I wouldn't want to intrude-"

"I don't mind, dude, just stay."

Kurt smiled shyly, letting out an awkward laugh. "I- I guess I could, sure."

"Great," replied Paul, and turned to head back down the stairs.

Dave smiled, and Kurt ducked his head in embarrassment, before turning a tight smile back at him.

_tbc._


	8. Chapter 8

Kurt swallowed around the lump in his throat nervously. This had to be one of the most awkward experiences of his entire life.

"So, Kurt. Where have you applied to for college?"

"Dad."

"No, no, it's fine," said Kurt, letting out a small laugh. "Well I'm hoping to get into NYADA – New York Academy of the Dramatic Arts – but I've applied to a few others as well."

"And what are those?"

"Uhm, NYU, Columbia, UCLA, and Berkeley. And then Ohio State, if nothing else pans out, though I'd really rather not have to go there. But more than anything, NYADA is really my first choice."

"That's quite ambitious."

Kurt smiled to himself and nodded. "Yes, I suppose it is."

"David here has also applied to a few of those – OSU, NYU, and UCLA, to be exact."

"Dad," groaned Dave, "can we not?"

Kurt snickered at Dave's obvious embarrassment.

"I'm just saying, I'm proud of you, David."

"Yes, David, I'm proud, too," Kurt teased, grinning, and Dave kicked him under the table from where he was sitting across from him. Kurt rubbed his leg with a frown and picked up a piece of broccoli with his fork, chewing slowly, before speaking again. "Seriously, though. It couldn't have been easy. Coming out and really just coming into your own, like you have. You've grown a lot since last year and for that, I am very proud of you."

Dave gave him a timid smile and Kurt grinned back, before taking a sip of his water.

Paul glanced between them uncertainly. "So exactly when were you going to tell me you had a boyfriend, David?"

Kurt spluttered, choking on his water, holding a hand to his chest. " _Oh god_."

"No, Dad, we… we're not going out."

"Th-that's right. We're not, I swear, we-"

"We're just friends, Dad," interrupted Dave quietly, and Kurt turned to face him again, staring for a moment as Dave continued to eat his dinner.

And Kurt knew then, that with only a couple of words, he'd managed to screw things up even more.

Damn it.

They spent the rest of dinner in silence.

* * *

They were back up in Dave's room afterward, sorting through Dave's new clothes, when Kurt finally decided to break the tense silence.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Dave grunted, taking another shirt from a bag to hang up in the closet.

"For what I said. I didn't mean it like that, you have to know that."

"Mean it like what?"

Kurt rolled his eyes in annoyance; ever since they'd gotten back to Dave's room, the other boy hadn't even so much as glanced at him. "You know what I mean, Dave. I wasn't fucking implying that you and I could never date or whatever else it is you seem to think. Okay?"

Dave finally looked back at him, staring. Kurt never swore. At least not from what he'd heard, anyway, since the most that ever really came from him was a hell or damn it. He turned his attention back to putting away the clothes, speaking in a monotone. "You said it yourself before that you don't think I'm attractive so why should I think otherwise?"

Kurt gaped incredulously. "Are you kidding me?"

When Dave didn't say a word, Kurt tore the shirt out from his grasp, effectively gaining the other boy's attention. "I didn't mean it, you have to know that. I was upset, alright? What was I supposed to say? It was a cheap shot, and I'm sorry, I never should've said it."

Dave nodded shortly, and glanced at Kurt's hand on his arm.

"Good. Now we're going to find your outfits for this week. Because despite the fact that I've helped you as much as I think one is really able to, your fashion sense could still use some work. Ergo, I'm going to put them together for you, since you so desperately need it."

"Sure. That'd be good."

Kurt gave him a nod, along with a hesitant smile. "Yes. Good."

* * *

It was nearly nine o'clock when Kurt was finally making his way out the door for the night.

"Well I, uh… this was fun," said Dave and Kurt gave him a strange look.

"So now your idea of 'fun' is a day spent shopping with me and your dad having me stay for one of the most awkward dinners ever?"

"Well no, but…" but it was fun because I was actually with you, it wasn't anything else. Just you.

"Right, well I'd better get going. I told my dad I'd be home soon, he wants all of us to watch a movie together tonight. But I'll see you at school on Monday. And remember, the outfits are all in your closet in order of the days of the week. I even put an index card on each of them with the day you should wear it, so it's sort of impossible to screw up."

"I got it, dude, now go," replied Dave with a laugh, and Kurt gave him a smile.

"Right. See you Monday, then."

Dave was left in the doorway, watching as he walked away.

_tbc._


	9. Chapter 9

Monday at school, Kurt was on edge all morning, just… waiting.

For Dave to come down the hall, head held high, an air of confidence completely surrounding him, newly attired and looking gorgeous.

When Kurt saw him, however, in the break before third period, Dave was walking toward him but in no way was there confidence radiating about him, but… _god_ did he look amazing. He was pulling at his clothes to adjust himself, practically the epitome of uncertainty.

Still, Kurt couldn't help but stare, mouth hanging open slightly at the mere sight of him. Kurt pulled at the collar of his sweater to release the rush of heat he could already feel coming over him.

"Hi," he breathed as Dave finally reached him, looking smaller than Kurt had ever seen him before. Dave seemed to be continually shrinking in on himself as he stood there before him.

"Hey," Dave mumbled, averting his eyes from the stares of the people walking past them.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine," groaned Dave, barely even looking at him.

"Well you certainly don't seem alright."

"People keep staring at me."

"So? That just means they've noticed something different about you, that's all," replied Kurt cheerfully. "And anyway, remember a couple years ago when Puck had to get his head shaved? Everyone stared at him then, too, so really it's nothing new. I think they'll stare at pretty much anything if you give them the chance."

"Yeah, well… I should probably get to class, so…"

"Wait!" Kurt exclaimed, grabbing onto Dave's arm to get him to stop before he really even knew what he was doing.

"What?"

"I uhm… did you – did you want to hang out tonight, maybe?"

"Uh."

"We could… go see a movie or something? That new Shark Night movie is out now…"

Dave stared. "You're serious."

"Yes…?"

"O-okay. Sure. That sounds… cool, I guess."

"Great," replied Kurt with a smile. "Well I'll, uhm… I'll check the show times and text you, then."

"Yeah. Did you… did you want me to…"

Kurt stopped, halfway through putting the book for his next class into his bag. "Do I want you to… _what_?"

Kurt watched as Dave's cheeks turned pink.

"Pick you up? For the movie, I mean."

"Oh."

"Well you drove on Saturday so I just thought maybe you wanted me to this time instead."

"Right. Yeah, that… that would be fine, sure."

"Cool."

"Well, I… I should get to class. But I'll text you, though." He gave Dave a hesitant smile. "And don't worry about people staring or anything. You look amazing, just be confident in yourself for once."

Dave scoffed as Kurt smirked at him before closing his locker and starting to walk down the hallway.

Kurt turned back to face him after a moment, halting his footsteps, giving Dave a nod and another smile. "I'll see you tonight."

Dave stood there, rooted to the spot, remaining in place even as the bell rang.

He knew Applebee's hadn't been a date. He was pretty sure they both knew that, actually.

But he couldn't help but wonder if maybe this one _was_.

_tbc._


	10. Chapter 10

Kurt tore through his closet once again, trying to find the perfect outfit. They were going to be spending the night in a dark theater, so it probably shouldn't have mattered anyway, and this, again, most likely what would be considered a date. Even still, he wanted to be prepared, and that meant looking his best. Prepared for what he wasn't exactly sure, but…

Kurt shook his head, attempting to erase the thought from his mind.

Putting an outfit together usually calmed him, made him less anxious about everything…

So why did it feel like his heart was about to leap out of his throat at a moment's notice?

* * *

"Hey."

Kurt jumped, startled, and turned only to see Burt standing in his doorway. "Oh. Dad. Hi."

"You okay?"

Kurt nodded shortly, staring down at two shirts on his bed he was debating on wearing under his vest. "Fine."

"Well there's someone here for you, he's sitting in the living room. It's that Karofsky kid."

Kurt turned to face him abruptly, staring. "What." he glanced quickly at the clock on his bedside table, feeling his heart speed up at the time. "Oh god, no, no, no, he's not supposed to be here yet! Damn it!" Kurt scrambled for one of the shirts, the fancier of the two, and shoved Burt backwards out of the door.

"Kurt, what the hell are you-"

"Go, Dad, you need to go!"

Outside in the hallway, Burt stood there dumbfounded, just staring at the closed door. "Okay, so I'll… I'll just leave, then, I guess…" Burt listened as a crash resounded inside the room and turned to head back downstairs.

He didn't know exactly what was going on with that kid but he could definitely guess; Kurt and that damn Karofsky kid were going on a date, weren't they.

Fuck.

* * *

"So. What're you doing here?"

Dave felt his heart race as Burt stared him down. "U-uhm… Kurt didn't tell you? We, uh, we're going to a movie."

"Right, well…" Burt pointed a finger at him, "no funny business, you got me?"

"What? I'm not-"

"Dad! What the hell?"

"Hey kid, we were just having a little chat-"

Kurt glared at him. "Little chat my ass," he mumbled. "Come on, David, we're leaving."

Dave practically bolted out of his seat, following quickly as he wiped his clammy hands on his jeans. Fuck, Burt could be fucking terrifying…

"Yeah. Kay," Dave stammered out as he sped past a smirking Burt, who only shrugged as Kurt turned back to throw him another dirty look.

There was _no way_ his dad was getting away with this, thought Kurt as Dave started his truck and drove from the house.

Absolutely no way.

_tbc._


	11. Chapter 11

"So… why were you so early, then? The movie doesn't start until 8:30. We have two whole hours to spare."

Dave looked at him for a long moment, nerves dissipating at the sound of Kurt's voice calming him as they drove, conversation with Kurt's dad long forgotten. "Well I thought we could go to dinner and then do some stuff in an arcade or something. I-if you wanted, I mean. We don't have to."

Kurt glanced over at him, watching as Dave kept his eyes on the road to distract himself from what he must have thought was going to be a negative reaction. It was just the opposite, though. Dinner and arcade games sounded fantastic, really. To be honest, Kurt was starving and originally had planned on just eating something quick before Dave picked him up, or else he would get something at the theater. But dinner sounded amazing right now. "I want to," he responded with a warm grin and watched as Dave gave him a quick, tentative smile back, before turning onto another street.

"Is, uh, Ruby Tuesday's alright with you? I called ahead and made a reservation just in case but we could always go someplace else if you didn't want-"

"No, no," hurried Kurt, "that sounds great, actually."

Dave gave him a short nod. "Cool."

"Cool," Kurt responded, laugh escaping him.

"Thanks again for dinner. I mean I told you before, you really didn't have to pay."

Kurt stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Hey. I don't mind. Not only did you pay last time but tonight was my idea in the first place. Therefore, I pay."

Dave laughed and pulled into the mall parking lot. "Come on, we still have some time before the movie starts," he said, and Kurt smiled as they got out from the car to walk inside.

They made it into the arcade, thankfully not too busy, where Dave pulled out a handful of quarters from his wallet. "Alright. What'd you wanna play first, then?"

Kurt glanced around the room, eyes landing on Mario Kart, and grinned. "That one," he replied, pointing at the machine.

Dave stared at him. "Really?" he asked, making Kurt cross his arms and nod, silencing him with a look.

Kurt sat down in the chair in front of the game as Dave inserted the quarters, already placing his hands on the wheel. "Alright. Get ready to have your ass handed to you, David Karofsky," he challenged, and Dave turned in his seat, staring at him. "This is what happens when you have a stepbrother like Finn Hudson who really only plays video games at home and likes to torture you about how horrible you are at them. You learn to practice behind his back and figure out how to finally beat him at his own game. No pun intended, of course."

"…Right."

Kurt only raised an eyebrow at him and smirked as the countdown to the race began.

 _tbc_.


	12. Chapter 12

Dave pulled into the driveway, parking the truck, and watched as the outside lights flicked on. Which either meant that they were motion activated or Burt had been waiting by the door for them to get back. Dave wouldn't put it past him, really.

"This was fun."

Dave turned his gaze away from the front door to look over at Kurt in the passenger's seat, smiling at him warmly. He grinned back, a bit reluctantly. He wasn't so sure Burt wasn't going to run outside yelling at them for whatever reason. For all Dave knew, Burt could think Dave was defiling his precious baby boy or something.

"Yeah." He glanced briefly back to the house and watched as Kurt rolled his eyes, letting out a scoff.

"I should probably get inside. It's kind of late and I need some sleep. Plus, there's a curfew to be maintained."

"Right," replied Dave with a laugh. He knew all too well the burdens of curfews and what could happen if you stayed out longer than was expected.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

Dave nodded while Kurt gave him one last smile before exiting the truck and walking inside.

Kurt closed the door behind him, settling back against it, and brought a hand to his mouth, biting his lip.

"You're home. Finally."

Kurt jumped at the voice, looking over at his dad standing there. "Yeah. Movie ran longer than we expected. Sorry."

Burt's hands went in front of him defensively. "Hey, nothing wrong with that, really. But if you're gonna be out longer than you say you're going to, then call or something, that's all I want."

"I will, Dad, I promise." Kurt climbed the stairs and walked down the short hall to his room, opening the door and searching for his pajamas.

"Well?"

Kurt glanced back at the doorway only to see Burt standing there, expectant. "Well what?"

" _Well_ , are you gonna tell me what happened?"

Kurt sighed. "Nothing happened, Dad. It was a normal night. Between _friends_."

"Friends, huh? Is that what you are?"

"Look, what do you want from me here?" asked Kurt, tossing the found pajamas onto the bed.

"All I want is the truth. I mean, do you…"

"Do I what?"

"Do you like this kid? Is that what this is? Are you dating him or something?"

"We're not dating. We're just… hanging out or whatever."

"Oh that's what you call it, _hanging out_?" replied Burt, air quotes at hand.

"We're just friends, Dad…" said Kurt quietly, sitting on the bed solemnly. "Nothing's going on."

"Look, just… give it to me straight here, Kurt. All I wanna know is… do you like this kid?"

"Dad-"

"Just – just tell me."

Kurt's gaze stayed on his hands clasped together in his lap. "Yes. Okay? I like him. But it's-" He shook his head.

"What?"

"It's complicated," he finished softly. "I don't know, maybe we just have too much history."

"Hey, I know I don't really like this kid, after what's happened with you two it's sort of hard to and I get pretty protective of you, but… if you've worked past all that and you're friends now… maybe your history isn't such a bad thing."

Kurt stared up at him in confusion, brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I just mean that… you've changed a lot since last year. You're not the same person and I just think that after everything that happened, you've grown and it's made you an even better person. And it sorta think that this guy maybe helped with it." Burt sighed, glancing around the room aimlessly. "I guess what I'm trying to say here is, if you like him, really like him… then maybe your past shouldn't matter as much. Maybe it could make your… relationship, or whatever, even stronger."

Kurt looked up at Burt, a smile making its way across his face. In a million years he wouldn't have thought Burt would actually approve but now that he basically had… Kurt stood from the bed, walking quickly over to Burt and wrapped his arms around him tightly. "Thank you."

Burt held him even closer in return. "You're a good kid, Kurt. If he's really changed as much as you say he has, then… I trust you."

"He has, Dad. Changed."

"Then you… you should bring him over for dinner sometime. Friday night, maybe."

Kurt pulled away slightly, staring in disbelief. Friday night dinners were their sacred things; they almost never allowed new people to join in. Hell, it had taken a month into dating Carole for her and Finn to be invited, Rachel two weeks after that, and for Blaine, a whole two months. For it to take Dave not even two weeks since they'd been hanging out semi-regularly… either Burt was getting more lenient as time went on or he trusted Kurt's judgment enough that it didn't seem to be as much of a problem.

"A-are you serious?"

Burt let out a low laugh. "If he… I mean, if he really means that much to you, if you like him, then I don't know, I guess maybe I should give him a chance."

Kurt exhaled, smiling. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, kid." He glanced around the room, eyes landing on Kurt's unopened school bag. "Now do your homework, you have school tomorrow."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah."

"Come say goodnight before you go to bed."

Kurt nodded, silent.

Sometimes, when he least expected it, his dad could be the greatest.

 _tbc_.


	13. Chapter 13

It took an entire week before Kurt actually mustered up the guts to talk to Dave again.

After... whatever it was that had gone down on Monday night (Kurt still wasn't sure whether or not it had been a date) and how much Kurt had wanted to just lean over the middle console and kiss him and get it over with... he could barely manage to so much as look the other boy in the eye. When Dave passed him in the hallway, Kurt would avert his eyes or pretend to look at his phone. If Kurt saw him coming down the hall, Kurt would find a different route. And in the select few classes they had together, he'd make sure to pay extra attention to the teacher. It was hard not to get distracted by Dave or the way he'd look over at Kurt sometimes. It was especially difficult when Dave started wearing polo shirts that showed off his magnificent arms. The polo shirts were the absolute _worst_. Kurt glanced over at him sometimes and had to fight back the urge to whimper. It was bad knowing now just how much he wanted Dave but he wasn't about to broadcast it to the world with his noises...

It wasn't until the following Tuesday that Kurt couldn't keep avoiding him any longer.

"Okay now what the hell is your problem?"

Kurt glanced up from his locker. "Excuse me? I don't have a problem."

"We had an awesome time the other night and now - now it seems like you don't even wanna talk to me anymore or something."

"Dave, I-"

"Did you not have a good time, is that what this is?"

"Of course I did."

"Then could you just... just tell me what I did wrong?"

Kurt looked at him, the angry, hurt look on his face, the way he was breathing hard just a little, frustrated stance... He sighed. "You didn't do anything wrong, alright? It was-it's me. I'm the one who..." he shook his head. "Nevermind."

"It's been a week since we've really talked and all you can say is /nevermind/?" Dave glanced at the the floor angrily for a moment before catching Kurt's eyes again. "You know what? I get it. It's fine."

"Dave, please-"

"I gotta get to class. I'll see you later, I guess."

Kurt watched as Dave stormed off down the hallway, slammed his locker shut, and ran after him, stopping Dave in his tracks.

"What do you want?"

Before he even realized what he was doing, Kurt was leaning up, pressing his lips to Dave's gently in a kiss. Dave closed his eyes tightly as Kurt kissed him, lips moving together slowly. Kurt pulled himself away, feeling himself shaking at the loss of contact, keeping his eyes closed through it.

Dave stared down at him, unmoving, and felt his heart beat just a little bit faster as Kurt fingered his lips with a shaking hand.

"Uhm... Would you... do you want to come over for dinner this Friday?"

Dave's brow furrowed in confusion. "What?"

"Do you want to come over?" he repeated, finally looking back up at the other boy.

Dave nodded silently, still completely confused at what had just happened. Kurt just gave him a small smile, bit his lip, and ducked his head as he moved past him.

Dave still couldn't move.

_tbc._


	14. Chapter 14

The rest of the week passed by in a blur. A flurry of shared glances, long nights spent talking, and skipped classes in favor of spending the time making out in the janitor's closet.

Their teachers were, of course, completely miffed at their newfound absenteeism, but for now were deciding to let it slide. They were just lucky they weren't being sent to the principal's office or having their parents called.

—

Kurt slipped into his desk chair, dropping his bag on the floor, while Rachel leaned over to him.

"Where the hell have you been?"

Kurt glanced over at her for a moment, gazing down again at his desk in distraction. The wood grain really was fascinating… "Around," he answered simply, as the teacher entered, starting to write on the whiteboard.

"But you haven't been in class in two da – what's that on your neck?"

Kurt startled, staring at her in shock. "What?"

Rachel reached over, fingering his skin. "Your _neck_ ," she repeated, staring at it with eyes wide. "This bruise, it's huge – _is that a hickey_?" she nearly screeched, while Kurt slapped a hand over the spot.

"Could you be quiet," he whispered. "People can hear you."

"So it _is_ a hickey, then," she declared. "Who've you been kissing?"

Kurt turned his attention back to the teacher. "No one, okay?"

Rachel scoffed. "Oh please. You don't get a bruise like that unless you're kissing someone. Who is it? It can't be Blaine, you guys broke up…"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Of course it's not Blaine. We just… we haven't really told anyone yet, okay? So just leave it alone. _Please_ ," he begged.

"Is it Sam? Oh it's totally Sam, right? Wait no, Artie, he's always seemed suspicious…"

Kurt sighed while Rachel continued guessing possible makeout partners, and leant down to take out his phone.

 _So apparently you left a hickey the size of Mount Rushmore on my neck today_ he typed.

_**I did?** _

_That's what Rachel just said. She saw it and won't stop asking questions now, trying to figure out who my mystery man is I've been spending so much time with lately. Honestly I don't really know what to tell her._

_**Uhm… tell her to mind her own business?** _

Kurt stared down at the text, feeling more awkward the more he reread the words. _Did you… not want people to know, or something?_

_**No no, it's not that, it's just… I don't know, I kind of like not having anyone know right now. It's like our own little thing, just me and you.** _

… _Oh. I see what you mean. I guess I hadn't really thought of it that way before._

_**You can tell people if you want, you totally can.** _

_Well I don't know about telling Rachel, she might end up blabbing it to the entire school. She isn't exactly known for keeping her mouth shut. Then again, there aren't many people I know who are… You're still coming over for dinner tonight, yes?_

_**Yeah, I'll be there. :) Seven, right?** _

_Great. And yeah, seven o'clock._ Kurt grinned down at his phone, and bit his lip before tapping out another message. _Wanna skip next class, go find somewhere?_

_**Jeez, Hummel, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were trying to get in my pants.** _

_No ulterior motives. I swear. ;)_

_**Liar.** _

_Fine. If you must know, I was planning on ravishing you in a deserted classroom. Way to spoil my surprise._

_**Lol kay, usual meeting spot, then?** _

"Hummel. Eyes up here or I'm taking your phone."

Kurt nodded, typing quickly before pocketing his phone. _Of course. :)_

_tbc.  
_


	15. Chapter 15

"Hi," Kurt breathed, opening the front door and ushering the other boy into the house.

Dave grinned. "Hey."

"I, uhm… dinner's almost ready. I hope you're hungry."

Dave only nodded as Kurt brought him into the living room, pushing him down onto the couch.

"Kurt? Was that the doorbell I hea—oh."

"Dad-"

"Hi, Mr. Hummel."

Burt swallowed around the lump in his throat. "…Hey."

Kurt glanced nervously back and forth between the two of them, watching as Burt fixed Dave with a stare for long, silent moments.

Burt gave Dave one last glare, eyes narrowed in something Kurt couldn't quite place, before, finally, he walked over, holding out an open hand.

Glancing down at it in slight shock, Dave grasped it in his own, shaking it.

"Dude, you okay?" asked Finn as he and Carole walked into the room to join them. "You look, like, white as a ghost."

Kurt snickered, watching as Dave flushed in embarrassment.

"I'm fine."

* * *

"This steak is amazing, Mrs. Hudson."

"Carole, sweetie," she corrected with a smile. "And I didn't' make it, actually. That's all Kurt's doing."

Dave looked over at Kurt in surprise where he was sitting next to him. Kurt ducked his head in embarrassment, giving Carole a withering look.

"You can cook?"

"I learned after my mom died," Kurt mumbled. "Couldn't keep letting Dad burn all the food or try his hand at giving the both of us food poisoning, however unintentional it might have been."

Dave laughed, as did the rest of the table, and squeezed Kurt's hand under the table.

* * *

"Thanks again for dinner."

"Of course, David, it was our pleasure," said Carole while Burt only grunted in response. He still wasn't sure he approved of this kid but if Kurt seemed to like him this much then he could at least give him a chance.

Kurt glanced between the three of them and grabbed Dave's hand, leading him to the door. "Come on, I'll walk you out."

"So this was… fun," said Dave, breaking the silence as they got to his truck.

Kurt looked up at him with a small smile, shaking his head in amusement. "Well it definitely went better than I thought it would, that's for sure. For a while there I thought my dad was going to snap and throw you out of the house or something."

"So did I, actually…" said Dave with a laugh.

After a moment, when it was silent once again, Kurt sidled up to the other boy, pulling him close and speaking softly. "I'm really glad you came tonight."

Dave nodded. "Me too."

Biting his lip, Kurt leaned up, placing a chaste kiss to Dave's lips, smiling as he felt the small but insistent pressure of Dave kissing him back.

Yes. The night had gone _much_ better than planned.

_tbc._


	16. Chapter 16

“So your dad really seemed to like me.”

Kurt shut his locker door slowly, revealing Dave’s smirking face and Kurt let out a short laugh.  “Yeah, he’ll get better, I promise.  I hope.”

“Is he okay?  With us dating, I mean?”

“That’s what he’s told me.  And actually he was the one who convinced me to give us a chance in the first place, so I would _assume_ he’s okay with it.”

Something flashed in Dave’s eyes at that, something Kurt couldn’t quite place, or didn’t want to, but in the end decided to let it go.

“So did you want to hang out tonight?” he asked, changing the subject to distract Dave from whatever it was that seemed to be bothering him so much.

Dave only bit his lip and nodded begrudgingly.

\--

Two months later was when everything went to hell.

Kurt turned on his heel as he heard footsteps step next to him and closed the flap on his shoulder bag, nerves suddenly overcoming him.

“We, uh.”  Dave stopped, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans.  “I think we should talk.”

Kurt swallowed around the lump forming in his throat.  “A-about what?”

“We just – we need to talk,” said Dave, intent on not giving anything away whatsoever.  “Can you meet me after school?  We can go somewhere?”

“Sure.  Of course we can.”  Giving Dave a slight smile, Kurt nodded, reassuringly, watching as Dave nodded back to him once and sulked off down the hallway.

Looking after Dave as he walked away from him, Kurt felt his smile fall, worry within him growing by the second.

This was bad.  This was very, very bad.


	17. Chapter 17

Kurt had a pit in his stomach the size of a watermelon, this massive sinking feeling, by the time he sat down across from Dave later that afternoon.  They were at the Lima Bean for coffee to warm up from the freezing December air outside. 

His ears were still pink from the cold when he sat down and when Dave didn’t speak for a few minutes, seeming far past distant, Kurt decided to start the conversation for him instead.  “It’s cold out there,” he commented, and Dave only hummed in agreement as a form of response.  Kurt swallowed and continued.  “Of course I guess it _should_ be cold, since Christmas is only a couple of weeks away.   It’d be weird if it wasn’t cold,” said Kurt and let out a nervous chuckle.  Dave gave him just barely a hint of a smile before returning to his contemplative state.  “I… is everything alright?  You’re acting really strange and I feel like you’ve been really distant lately, like for the past couple of months, and I don’t know, maybe I’m paranoid or something but I-”

“You’re not being paranoid,” Dave interrupted quietly and Kurt’s eyebrows cinched together in confusion.

“Okay…”

“I think we need to break up.”

Kurt’s heart increased its pace and all of a sudden he felt like he could barely even breathe anymore and like he was about to start hyperventilating at any second.  “I don’t – I don’t… understand.  Why?  What happened, why would we need to… break up?”

“It just isn’t working out, okay?” Dave snapped, and Kurt felt a tear roll down his cheek at the abrasiveness.

“Why are you being so cold?  Just… just help me understand because I don’t… know what I did wrong.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” replied Dave quickly and that one statement was enough to send Kurt down the train of hyperventilation almost automatically.

“Just – please, I don’t-”  Kurt stood, nearly knocking his chair over in the process, before grabbing his book bag and hastily retreating from the shop.  He jumped into his car, slamming the door behind him, and made sure Dave wasn’t coming after him before breaking down, body wracking with sobs.

Of course Dave wasn’t coming after him.  As far as Kurt could tell, Dave wanted nothing to do with him anymore.

Back inside, Dave was torn between running after Kurt to beg for forgiveness or running into the bathroom to kick the shit out of himself for being such an idiot.

The indecision won out in the end and he was left with cold coffee as people came went all around him.


	18. Chapter 18

They ended up avoiding each other like the plague. 

Kurt wasn’t sure he could stand to be around Dave for even five minutes without being sent into a downward spiral of emotions whereas Dave couldn’t bear the guilt every time he saw the other boy.

The rest of senior year passed by in a blur.

\--

“I’m really gonna miss you, kid,” Burt grumbled into his son’s shoulder as they stood in the airport terminal.

“I’ll be _fine,_ Dad.  You don’t have to worry.  I’ve already been there before, so you know it’s safe.  Okay?”  Kurt inhaled his father’s scent so as to remember it, knowing he wouldn’t be coming home for at least a good three months or so.  “I love you, Dad.”

“Love you, too, kiddo.”

Kurt smiled into the older man’s shoulder at the old, childish nickname that Burt hadn’t used since Kurt was about nine. 

_“This is the final boarding call for flight 247 to LaGuardia Airport is now boarding.  I repeat, this is the final call.”_

“I should go,” murmured Kurt, giving one last squeeze to the hug he and Burt were engaged in. 

It had been a long summer and yet at the same time not nearly long enough.  He’d felt so rushed the entire time, always worrying about getting everything he needed for school and wanting to spend as much time as he possibly could with his family.  It was a never ending battle between just enjoying his last summer at home before starting college by lounging about the house or going out with friends and the opposite of frantically going through his checklist to get everything he would need for the year.

Keeping busy during the season was a good distraction from the lingering heartache he felt almost constantly.  It was the little things that triggered the memories of Dave; the smell of his cologne, some shirt that Kurt saw while shopping at the mall that he’d made Dave try on during his makeover, a movie stacked within the DVD collection of their living room, _Shark Night_ written on the spine.

What had to be worst of all, though, was the leftover Halloween candies.

_“What’s that?” Kurt asked as Dave came up beside him at his locker and held out his hand._

_“Candies.  Thought you might want ‘em.  But if you don’t I can always take them back-”_

_“Don’t you dare,” said Kurt, cutting him off with a kiss.  Dave smiled timidly and watched as Kurt ripped the wrapping paper, tearing into the gift.  “It’s a heart,” Kurt noted softly._

_Dave nodded.  “Yeah, I mean I know hearts aren’t really for Halloween or whatever but I don’t know, I just kinda wanted to give you this, I guess.  Because I…”_

_“David?”_

_“I love you, Kurt.”_

_Kurt glanced down at the box in his hand then back up to Dave, just waiting for Kurt to say something.  He felt a small smile stretch his lips, seeing fully the love in his expression, and leaned up to kiss Dave once again, trying to put all his emotions, everything he was feeling, into that one action.  “I love you, too.”_

Kurt shook the memory from his head, feeling his dad release him from his grasp.

“Alright then.  I’ll see you in December, kid.  You call me if you… if you need anything.  Okay?  And I mean it, anything.”

Kurt smiled up at him.  “We’re going to talk every day, Dad.  I’m sure if I need anything you’ll know about it the second I even I think about it,” he quipped with a small laugh.

“Right.  Now get outta here.  I’ll see you soon,” said Burt, ruffling his son’s hair as he grinned down at him. 

Kurt smiled back at him as he ran his fingers through his hair to regain some semblance of style to it as he walked away from Burt and through the airport doors, handing over his plane ticket to the woman there.  As he strode through the doors and onto the platform leading to the airplane, Kurt pivoted on his heel, giving Burt a tiny wave and smile so small as he seemed on the verge of crying.

Burt waved back.


	19. Chapter 19

“You sure you don’t want to come tonight?” asked Bridget and Lindsay nodded along with her friend.

“Yeah, it’ll be fun,” Lindsay added but Kurt only shook his head.  Sure, it was a Saturday night but a frat party wasn’t exactly his idea of fun.  Sometimes he wondered how he’d ever managed to make friends with such party girls like these two in the first place.

“No, you know I’m really not into the whole partying scene, I think you know that by now.”  Kurt smiled at them, reassuringly.  “So I’m fine.  Besides, I have a ten page paper due Monday that I’ve barely even made a dent in and I’d really rather not have to spend all of Sunday writing it, and with a hangover no less.  So thanks but no thanks.  I think I’ll pass.”

“My god, Grandpa, you can sleep when you’re dead,” Bridget said with a groan.  “Now get your ass out of that chair and come out with us.  Or else…” she said mischievously, trailing off as a thought came to her.

“ _Or else_ what?” said Kurt dryly, with a raised eyebrow.

“ _Or else_ maybe, just maybe, your entire collection of Alexander McQueen clothes might just disappear without a trace when your back is turned.”

Lindsay stared at her in shock; they’d known each other since they were three and not once in those fifteen years had she seen such a scheming nature from her friend.

Kurt’s eyes narrowed.  “You wouldn’t.”

“Oh but on the contrary, I really think I wo-”

Kurt stood quickly from his chair, grabbing his coat and keys and pocketing them, walking quickly out of the door, giving Lindsay and Bridget no choice but to follow.  “I’ll stay for one hour, that’s it, two hours tops.  And then I’m coming home.”

Bridget and Lindsay high-fived each other as Kurt took off down the hallway.

\--

The party was exactly as Kurt had expected it would be.  Boys drinking beer from a keg and yelling at each other to drink more while Lindsay and Bridget went to drunkenly make out with each other on a chair in the corner.  Kurt, on the other hand, stood on the sidelines, sipping from a plastic cup and desperately trying to forget about how utterly, completely lonely he was.

Not once the entire year had he been asked out by, or had the courage to ask out, the hundreds of attractive boys at that school.  All he wanted was for someone to take the memory of Dave away from him so that maybe he just might be able to finally get over him.  At this point, though, he wasn’t exactly sure if that would ever actually happen for him.

Kurt took another sip from his cup, feeling the bitter taste fill his mouth and slide down his throat quickly as he glanced around the room.  Some girl had taken off her top and was now clad in only a bra and her jeans as some guy grinded to the music with her as another guy was stumbling drunkenly around the fraternity house.

And then, through the midst of all that, Kurt saw him, the drunken haze clouding his mind so much that he couldn’t be sure if he was real of if he was just imagining things.

Even still, there he was, walking over to Kurt and looking amazing as ever.

_Dave._


	20. Chapter 20

Kurt watched in a daze, feeling his whole body turn red under the nerves flowing through him, as Dave’s figure drew closer and closer to him.

“What… what are you doing here?” he asked softly, careful not to let any real emotion show.

“Can we go somewhere?” asked Dave.  “I really need to talk to you.”

Kurt averted his eyes, swallowing thickly around the lump that had formed in his throat.  All of a sudden, just having Dave there was sending him quickly into a tailspin, one where it felt like he could hardly even breathe anymore.  It was like he was being tortured just having Dave there before him.  “I really don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

“Please, I’ll just take a few minutes, I promise.”

“David-”

“Please,” said Dave, placing a gentle hand on Kurt’s arm.  It wasn’t until that happened, Dave’s skin radiating warmth on Kurt’s own, that Kurt was even completely sure that it was actually real.  That Dave was standing there in front of him, and not just some sort of mirage.

“Fine,” Kurt replied, conceding, “five minutes.”  If it hadn’t been for the hopeful look on Dave’s face, he probably wouldn’t have said yes in the first place, but then again Kurt hadn’t ever really been able to resist Dave when he looked at Kurt like that.  “There’s probably a room open somewhere upstairs, we can talk there.”

“Sure,” said Dave with a nod, and followed Kurt closely as he made his way through the party, weaving in and out of the groups, and took the stairs.

Dave knew one thing for sure.  He wasn’t about to let Kurt get away from him, not again.

\--

The walk upstairs was silent, as were the next few minutes as they tried to find an available room, shutting the door behind them before sitting on the bed. 

It took nearly five minutes of awkward silence before either of them can pluck up the courage to say anything.

“So, uh.  How do you like NYU?”

Kurt glanced up at Dave and then back down at his hands in his lap.  “It’s fine,” he said quietly, and then more confidently, “look, I’m here, so why don’t you just say what you wanted to say.”

Dave looked down for a moment where Kurt’s hands were wringing together nervously before finally recapturing Kurt's gaze.  It was cold as steel, unforgiving, and it was impossible to miss the look of hurt in those eyes.  “Okay, I just... I'm sorry.  I'm so sorry, Kurt.”

Kurt stayed silent, not saying a word. 

“You have no idea how sorry I am.  I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have broken up with you like that.”

Kurt nodded shortly to himself, staring at the wall in front of him.  “Can I ask you something?” asked Kurt after a moment. 

Dave nodded. 

“Why'd you do it?  I mean... no explanation, nothing.  Do you know how long I've been trying to figure out why?  Why you broke it off so suddenly, and without even telling me any reason behind it.  Why you thought we needed to break up in the first place...  Even now I still can't figure out why you did it.”

“Do, uhm - do you remember that dinner we had at your house back in October, I think it was?  Then like three days later you said some off handed comment about how your dad had to convince you to even ask me out in the first place.  That's why.”

“What?  I... that's why you had to dump me, because I had a moment's hesitation before our relationship ever even began?”

“You didn't really wanna go out with me, it was your dad who convinced you in the first place.”

“No, you don't know the whole story here, it was-” Kurt stopped, and sighed heavily.  “You want to know why I was hesitant to start a relationship with you, or even try to start one?  Because of all that had happened before.  Because you had hurt me before and I was scared that opening myself up to you like that would make you hurt me again.  But I gave you a shot anyway, because I liked you and you were sweet and caring and I knew, somehow, that you weren't going to hurt me again.  And then – and then you did anyway,” he added quietly.

“I'm so sorry, you can’t know how sorry I am.  I didn't mean to hurt you, really, it's just... I don't know.  I didn't want you to be with me if you didn't want to yourself.”

“If I didn't want to be with you then I wouldn't have asked you out in the first place,” Kurt retorted. 

“Yeah, well...  Either way, I'm _so_ sorry.  That I ever hurt you, that this happened in the first place, us breaking up, it’s just-”

“David.”

“I fucked up,” he finished and Kurt gave him a timid, short smile before they fell back into silence.  “I’m sorr-”

“Say you’re sorry again and I might have to kick you,” quipped Kurt, giving Dave a smile and bumping shoulders with him, making Dave let out a laugh. 

Kurt looked down at Dave’s hand resting between them and, after a long moment, slipped his own hand into Dave’s open palm.

He was taking a risk here, letting Dave in again.  But that’s what love was, a risk.

But Dave was worth it.  _They_ were worth it.


	21. Chapter 21

"So did I ever ask what you’re doing here, then?” Kurt asked as they lay in his bed later that night.  “In New York, I mean?”

“Oh, uh.  I transferred here, actually.  Just this semester.”

“You did?” said Kurt, surprise evident in his voice.  “Why haven’t I seen you in any of my classes?”

“I wanted to come here, to NYU and everything, but I didn’t want you to think I was stalking you or anything, so I… I tried to make sure I wouldn’t be in any of your classes.  And I figured that’d be good.  I was doing better and was in New York and I thought that was that and all that really mattered was that I was here.  And then I saw you.”

“You did?  When?”

“Yeah.  Last week, you were at the coffee cart paying for whatever it was you had and I couldn’t stop staring.  You were there, standing not twenty feet in front of me and you looked amazing, just like you always do.  And then you grabbed your coffee and walked right past me and… all I could do was watch you go.”  Dave took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly.  “I don’t know, it’s just like… the more I see you, the harder it is to let you go, it gets harder thinking that you’re not mine anymore, that I’m not yours.  I thought it might be easier to live with the pain of knowing that you were miles away, if we had some distance, but it just… it wasn’t.  If anything, it just made me feel worse, made me hate myself a little more each time I thought about what a huge mistake I made.”

Kurt stared at Dave, feeling his eyes sting from unshed tears as Dave sighed. 

“I’m so sorry, Kurt, I just - I made a mistake.  I did, I know that.  And I know it probably shouldn’t matter, maybe it won’t even make a difference at all, but… I love you.  I love you so much and I’m really sorry about everything-“

“I know you are,” Kurt interrupted softly with a nod.  “I know.  And I love you, too, of course I do, but – but at the same time I think… maybe, if we’re going to do this again, you and me… that maybe we need to start over.  We can’t just pick up where we left off.  We need to start new.  I mean… we’re different people now.  We’re not the same, not really.  Don’t you think?”

Dave thought about it for a moment, giving Kurt a hint of a smile, and nodded once.  “Yeah.  Starting over, that… that sounds good.  Whatever you want.”

Kurt sighed blissfully, wrapping his arms around Dave’s middle and embracing him tightly. 

Holding Dave like this, just being there in his arms and breathing him in, the scent of him, the feel of his body in Kurt’s, was incredible.  Indescribable. 

Kurt closed his eyes tightly, letting the tears finally spill onto his cheeks as he tucked his face into Dave’s shoulder. 

It wasn’t until he felt the dampness on his shirt that he realized Dave was crying as well.

Things weren’t the same, they probably never would be, but one thing was for sure.

They were home.

_tbc._


	22. Chapter 22

 

Kurt grabbed his hand, dragging him away from the refreshments table and making Dave nearly stumble over his own feet.

“Come on,” said Kurt when Dave stopped mid-step.

“What the hell are you doing?”

Kurt grinned at him.  “We have to dance.  Come on, before the song ends.”

“What’s so special about this damn song?” asked Dave to which Kurt only pointed to the ceiling as the song’s chorus rang out.

_The more I see you_   
_The more I want you_   
_Somehow this feeling_   
_Just grows and grows_

“What…”

“It’s our song.  Whenever I hear it, I can’t help but think about that night, the night we got back together.  And it makes me smile and I  _love_  this song, now will you dance with me,  _please_?”

Smiling, Dave pulled Kurt in closer, kissing him soft and slow as he held him tight before dragging him onto the dance floor.

Swaying back and forth in time with the music, neither of them had to speak, just enjoying the moment as the song continued.

When the song ended, Kurt pulled back to smile at Dave, his face falling when he saw the look on the other boy’s face.  “David?” he asked nervously.  “What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing, I… I’m just, just wondering if this is the right place to do this, I mean I-”

“To do what, exactly?”

“I mean it’s Schuester’s wedding, I don’t wanna, like, piss them off or whatever, I mean I’d probably be pretty pissed if someone did this at my wedding, too ,so.”

“David, what’s going on?”

Dave reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a small black box.  “I’ve been carrying this thing around in my pocket for like a month now, just trying to find the right time to do this and… and maybe this is it.”

“I swear to god, David, just tell me what’s going on, I –  _oh my god, what the hell are you doing_?”

Dave looked up at him from where he was kneeling, one hand holding the box open to reveal the simple gold ring.  “Kurt, I… I think I’ve loved you since like the moment I saw you and I want to keep on loving you, for as long as I can, if you’ll only let me.  So I think the only thing left to say here is… will you-”

“Yes.”

“You… you didn’t even let me finish.”

“Yes,” said Kurt again, nodding with a smile.

Dave frowned at him.  “Dude, would you let me finish here?  I mean I kind of plan on only doing this once, you know.”

Kurt grinned.  “Fine.  Go ahead.”

“Kurt Hummel.  Will you marry me?”

Kurt pursed his lips, narrowing his eyes.  “I don’t know… I mean you’re not really my type, so…”

“You’re a jerk,” said Dave, though there was a hint of a smile there, too.  “Now are you gonna marry me or not?”

“That depends.”

“On?”

“On if you’re gonna put that ring on my finger and actually make it official.”

Dave grinned and taking the ring from its place in the box, Dave took Kurt’s hand in his own, sliding it on Kurt’s finger.  “Will you marry me?”

Kurt sighed heavily.  “I don’t know, I mean you had to ask me three times, so…”

“Which just goes to show how much I love you, willing to put my heart on the line and shit in front of all these people and verything.”

Kurt smiled.  “I love you, too.”

“Is that a yes?”

“That’s a yes,” said Kurt and kissed Dave hard, arms winding around his neck, smiling into it.

“See, I told you it’d happen tonight!” shouted Puck from across the dance floor and Kurt and Dave broke apart to see Finn frowning at him.  “Hudson here thought you’d never get around to it.”

“Not  _never_ ,” said Finn, “just thought it might take a while is all.”

Puck scoffed.  “Come on, man, there’s like always a proposal at a wedding, of course he’d do it here.”

“Fine.  Here.  Fifty bucks, happy now?” asked Finn, handing it over, to which Puck smiled, smug.

Kurt scowled.  “You two were  _betting_  on us?”

“Hey, it wasn’t just us, dude.  Berry and Quinn were betting on it, too.”

“It was your idea,” grumbled Quinn, to which Rachel looked at Kurt in apology.

“Only on whether you would say yes or not, Kurt, I swar.  I knew you would, though, I mean you two are  _perfect_  together.”

Kurt sighed.  “Well if you four don’t mind,  _my fiancé_ and I are going to leave now,” he said, making him and Dave both grin at the word.  “Fiancé.  Oh god, okay we’ll see you guys later.”  With a laugh, Kurt took Dave’s hand in his own and ran out of the room together.

And in that moment, everything was perfect.  Nothing would, or ever could, change that.

_fin._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anddd, thus concludes this fic. I hope you liked it, even if it was sort of a shitty/cliched ending and took forever to update (i.e. like a year and a half whoops). Anyway, please leave a review? I think this is the first multi-chaptered Kurtofsky fic I've finished, so yay.


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